Past wont go away: Story of my life – Day 13
Beginning of hard times to come
Lexie stared at the text messages on her phone from Max. They hadn't stopped since yesterday. Lexie hadn't replied to any of them, Archie had told her not too. But now as she sat curled up by herself, she wondered whether she should just text him back. Suddenly the phone rang and Lexie jumped and quickly picked it up. 'Max' read on the screen and she hovered over the answer button before finally pressing it. Lexie didn't say anything into the phone until she heard a faint answer from Max.
'…Lexie' Max whispered down the phone
'What?' Lexie answered back bluntly
'Lex please… just hear me out'
'I don't want to hear anything you have to say'
'Has Archie told you not to contact me?'
'What if he has?'
'Look Lex, remember we talked about Archie before, remember when we first met… you were fed up with Archie because he couldn't make his mind up what he wanted'
'No Max'
'Look Lex, all the things you've heard, just don't listen to them, its bollocks, just think about our family Lex…what about Ami? How is she?'
'Ami's ok…she keeps asking for you'
'I want to see her Lex, I miss her…I miss you'
'Max I can't…'
'Look we'll start over Lex, make a fresh start, you, me and Ami'
'I dunno…'
'Look Lex just think about it ok…think whats best for Ami and I'll call you later ok? Love you'
'Bye Max'
Lexie hung up the phone and the tears blurred her eyesight. She looked up, blinking them away when Paul entered the room.
'Lex…' Paul said softly
'Hi Paul' Lexie mumbled her voice still quivery
'Are you alright?'
Lexie shook her head gently 'I've just had a phone call from Max'
Paul came and sat down next to Lexie and took her hand
'What did he have to say?' Paul asked
Lexie started to cry again 'He wants me to take Ami back…he wants me to go back to Glasgow and be with him'
'You're not going to go back though are you?' Paul stated
Lexie looked down and away from Paul's eyes.
'Oh Lex, please don't go back to him' Paul pleaded with her
'What else have I got to do?' Lexie snapped back at him
'I want you here…we want you here, we want you safe Lex' Paul corrected himself. Archie coughed at the doorway and Lexie and Paul glanced to his direction.
'Paul could I have a word please?' Archie demanded
'Yeah sure…' Paul replied getting up and leaving Lexie.
They stepped outside the door and Archie whispered in a angry tone 'What do you think your doing?'
'Talking to Lexie' Paul replied annoyed
'Well it didn't look like just talking'
'Hang on let me get this straight…you're the only one allowed to talk to her…the man who let her walk out five years ago…who hasn't been here for the last five years or spoken to her?'
'Don't throw this one back on me! She was the one who wanted to leave, don't you think I regret her going every day of my life?'
'Look Archie, you may of known Lexie before, but I know her as well now, and I was there when she turned up on Glenbogle's doorstep with a 6 month old baby and crying her eyes out, saying she needed to get away'
'She was looking for me'
'But you weren't here'
'I would have been…'
'No Arch, you couldn't of been, you had your own family'
'So you let her just go back to Max?'
'He turned up, what was I supposed to do, I was the laird not god, I didn't know what was going on, if I had known I wouldn't of let her out of my sight'
'Well look, shes all right now, shes here with us'
'Max just called, he wants her back, shes in there now thinking about it'
Suddenly Paul and Archie stopped arguing and turned to the door. The brothers glanced at each other and then Archie opened the door quickly. Lexie was no longer there.
'Where has she gone?' Paul asked worried
'How am I supposed to know?' Archie snapped back
'I'll check upstairs' Paul offered, breaking into a run up to the stairs. Archie paused for a moment. Lexie was upset about a man breaking her heart. Where would she go? Suddenly Archie spotted the 'Times' crossword on the table and instantly knew where Lexie would be.
He climbed hurriedly the steps up to the tower, until he reached the door at the top.
She's the best thing that's happened to me and I don't know what I'd do without her
'Lex?' Archie called sympathetically from the other side of the door. He heard sobs from the other side but no reply. 'Lexie. Please come out' Archie pleaded. There was still no reply.
Archie slid down against the wall and put his head in his hands and sighed. He loved Lexie so much that seeing her hurt was killing him inside.
'Remember last time you were up here Lex? Because of that stupid idiot Stuart. I came up here Lex I followed you back. I was so worried about you. It hurt me that you didn't believe me when I tried to tell you, but you were right, I was jealous because I loved you Lex and I still do. I was jealous when I saw you with Max. I kept thinking that should have been me; we should have been married and lived together happily. Then I saw Max bring Ami in and my heart melted she looks just like you Lex. Shes got your beautiful blue eyes and soft black hair. It angered me that she could have been mine. I could have had children with you Lex. Instead I threw it all away' Archie finished in anger as he threw his wedding ring, which he had been fiddling with against the wall.
'Arch' Lexie's voice escaped the name as she crouched on the other side of the door. Pained by his words, longing for the same dream. The key turned in the lock and the door unbolted and Archie stumbled up to stand. The door swung slowly open and a tear stained face appeared infront of Archie. Lexie gave a small smile then reached down to her hand and slid off her wedding ring and let it drop to the floor. Archie watched as the gold ring fell silently to the floor, making a thump as it hit the stone tiles. Then he looked up towards Lexie.
We're caught in a moment, and I wont let it go. I'm falling deeper, losing my control involved in a feeling like the blink of an eye and the silence it belongs to you and I
'I'm done with Max' she whispered as a smile appeared on Archie's face. He stepped forward and grasped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, a long awaited kiss that finally bought them together for good.
'I want to start over, with you Lex, a whole new life for us and the kids, we'll all live here together at Glenbogle and we'll bring are kids up together, they will have a great childhood and we can forget Amber and Max. I love you Alexandra and I always have, please say you'll take this brainwashed idiot back' Archie questioned with a smile
Lexie let out a small laugh and it lit up her face, her eyes sparkled as she looked into Archie's brown seductive eyes. 'I couldn't ask for anything more' Lexie answered and they kissed again.
Meanwhile Paul searched Lexie's room and most of upstairs. Paul opened his niece's and nephews bedroom door and stood there shocked, as did Amber-holding Owen. Owen had his coat and shoes on and Amber was carrying a bag in her other hand. Paul closed the door behind him and stood infront of it.
'What do you think your doing?' Paul asked concerned
'I'm taking my child with me' Amber stated
Paul looked across to the floor where Sapphire sat playing with her dollhouse. She wasn't in her coat and didn't have her shoes on and he could still see all her clothes in the open draw next to him.
'Just Owen?' Paul questioned
'Look I ran into Owen's father down in London…he wants to see him, and he says he wants me back' Amber admitted
'So you were just going to take him?' Paul replied
'Well I couldn't find Archie, I suspect he is with Lexie, not looking after his children I can see' Amber answered moving closer to the door.
Paul shuddered backwards towards the door. 'Amber you know I cant just let you go with Owen' Paul stated
'Come on now Paul, how can you stick up for Archie, don't you love Lexie? Are you just going to let him come back after five years and take her from under your nose?' Amber played with Paul's mind.
'It's not like that' Paul defended Archie
'Oh come on Paul, you know it is, just admit it to yourself' Amber answered moving her hand towards the door handle.
'Look maybe I should go get Archie' Paul suggested as Amber smiled
'Go ahead' amber replied grinning
Archie and Lexie held each other in their arms at the top of the tower steps. With their wedding rings at their feet, this was to be the start of a new life for the both of them.
Paul hurriedly climbed the steps of the tower after finally guessing it must be where Archie was. He climbed quickly, scared that Amber at the bottom might run off with Owen.
Out of breath Paul reached the top to see Archie and Lexie in each other's arms. He paused as they turned around.
'Archie…Amber's here' Paul called out
'What?' Archie replied shocked as he let his grasp of Lexie go. Lexie's facial expression dropped at the mention of Amber's name.
'She wants to take Owen' Paul explained, breathing deeply
'What, no she cant. Where is she?' Archie fired the question at Paul while taking two steps at a time down the steps.
Paul remained at the top watching Lexie. A tear appeared in her eye and she smiled gently at Paul before she walked straight past him and down the steps. Paul noticed the two wedding rings on the floor and picked them up and put them in his pocket and took off down the stairs after Archie and Lexie.
Memories, good days, bad days, they will always be with me
Archie reached the bottom of the stairs and Amber stood holding Owen.
'Ah Archie, nice of you to arrive at last' Amber replied sarcastically
'Amber what do you think your playing at' Archie stated angrily
'Taking my son home with me to meet his father' Amber replied calmly
'I am his father!' Archie shouted
'No Archie your not, you have played his father but you are not his real father'
Are you sure you wanna hear more?
The words pained Archie. Since Owen was a baby Archie had taken on another mans son, which, was a hard thing for another man to do, he had treated Owen as his real son and loved him all the same. Yet here Amber was whisking him away to meet the father who had abandoned him.
'How can you let Owen see that man after how he treated you and Owen' Archie demanded a answer
'Archie, Simon did nothing to hurt me, I left him, he didn't know anything about Owen until a couple of days ago when I rang him'
'You, you lied to me!'
'Oh boo hoo Archie, what ever shall we do' Amber replied sarcastically again. Then Amber's attention turned to Lexie who appeared behind Archie. Lexie stared at Amber then moved behind Archie and walked past them.
'Lexie wait' Archie called out to her but she didn't turn around, Archie sighed again, he didn't want to be in this situation right now.
'So anyway Archie, nice seeing you again but I'm afraid I have a long drive back to Manchester now' Amber answered turning and walking away.
'Amber wait, you cant just take Owen'
'Archie look, Simon and I are getting back together, we just want our son and we'll be happy. You and Lexie can have Sapphire and live happily ever after, it only seems fair doesn't it?'
Archie looked heartbroken. He knew what Amber was saying was true. It was only fair; Owen was their son even if Archie had been a father to him the last four years.
'If you take him…can I still see him?' Archie asked quietly
'Maybe Archie, we'll see how things go' Amber answered
Tears appeared in Archie's eyes as he starred down at the boy that he had called his son.
'Can I say goodbye then?' Archie whispered. Amber's expression softened and she handed Owen over to Archie. Archie ruffled Owens red hair and kissed him on the forehead.
'Be a good boy for mummy ok, I love you very much and always will' Archie whispered to Owen as his bright blue eyes sparkled back, just like Amber's. Archie handed Owen back to Amber and gave him one last kiss and then kissed Amber on the cheek.
'Look after him, and remember I'm always here if ever he needs anything' Archie stated and Amber nodded in reply.
'Bye Arch'
Amber turned and walked away. Owen waved to Archie over Amber's shoulder. 'Bye daddy'
Tears ran down Archie's face. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done. Paul stood quietly behind Archie by the bottom of the steps.
'Arch' Paul spoke up
Archie turned round to face Paul and he felt ashamed of what he had done.
'It will be ok Arch, don't worry' Paul answered and gave Arch a brotherly hug.
'Excuse me please, I have to be alone right now' Archie replied as he made his way to his children's bedroom. Paul watched as his brother walked quietly away with his head dropped down and his feet shuffling along the floor.
Archie opened the door to his children's bedroom and Sapphire looked up at him.
'Daddy' Sapphire shouted as she ran up to him and into his arms as he sat down on the side of the bed.
'Oh Sapphire' Archie replied gripping his daughter tight. She looked at him with her bright blue eyes and her little hand reached up to his face.
'Why cry daddy?' Sapphire asked as her hand wiped the tears away
'Doesn't matter Sapphy' Archie replied as he picked his daughter up and went on to find Lexie.
You are still my love and my life
'One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight…and oh no!' Lexie laughed to Ami as they stacked up building blocks on her bedroom floor. Lexie thought the best way to get her problems off her mind was to play with Ami. She had felt bad, the last few days she hadn't spent much time with her daughter, she felt as she had been neglecting her in a way.
There was a knock on the door and Archie appeared with Sapphire. He placed Sapphire down on the floor next to Ami and Lexie stood up.
'Arch…' Lexie began but Archie stopped her
'She took Owen and I don't think she will be coming back again' Archie explained
'You let her take him?' Lexie replied shocked
'What choice did I have Lex? Owen's real dad wants to get back with Amber, he wants his son to be with them.' Archie answered as Lexie took hold of Archie's hand.
'It will be all right Arch, they will be a proper family like we will be' Lexie stated as she looked down at the floor at the two girls.
'Where daddy gone?' Ami asked looking up at Lexie. Lexie looked at Archie with a worrying glance.
'Me want my daddy' Ami cried again, tears forming in her blue eyes just like Lexie's.
Archie looked at Lexie then bent down and picked Ami up.
And when you take me in your arms and hold me tight,
I know it's gonna mean so much tonight
'Shhh…don't worry Ami…' Archie paused, deciding whether to say what he was thinking about saying next, and whether Lexie would accept it. So he decided to just say it anyway. 'Daddy's here' he finished and looked to Lexie for approval, she smiled and picked up Sapphire and held the four of them close together.
